Asher stood on the rooftop of the Federal Building.
From up here, the city felt distant—like a miniature world playing out beneath him.
Cars zipped through the streets, their headlights flickering like restless fireflies.
Neon billboards pulsed against the night sky, so pushing high-end watches, others advertising the newest smart implants.
One ad even stated
"The future of humanity is through the combination of humans and technology. Enhance your body now!!!"
Whatever that ant.
It was morning when he last ca here, so seeing it at night hit differently.
'Teleporting is really convenient,' he muttered to himself.
Getting here was effortless—one of the perks of his Ancient dragon bloodline.
No anchor points, no limitations. If he'd been sowhere once, he could return anyti.
It was just another reminder of how overpowered dragons were.
In addition, he made minor adjustnts to his teleportation—adding a containnt field to mask the spatial disruption.
It wasn't perfect. A powerful being could still sense it, but for a machine that relied on equipnt, it was more than enough.
Ironically, the containnt field was inspired by the sa technique he used during Lucian's operation. He had improved it since then.
'I need to get so information first. If it knows I'm here, it could hide from ,'
Deuz wasn't a living organism. It didn't rely on energy in the traditional sense—it ran on electricity and computing power.
That ant it could hide anywhere—inside phones, computers, any device capable of computation.
However, its intelligence was still tied to the supercomputer.
That was its core. Its brain. If he could track it down, he could use it as leverage.
Directly confronting the AI would also be a stupid idea. It could just disconnect, slipping away into another system before he even had a chance to act.
"Hey, Pantheon, did you ever fight sothing like Deuz?"
(Define 'sothing like Deuz,)
"An artificial intelligence. A machine that thinks, adapts, evolves."
(Yes)
That caught his attention. His lips curled slightly. "And?"
(That thing I faced was far more advanced than this one. It actually conquered its entire world, turning it into a chanical haven where only machines road freely.)
"What about organic beings?"
(When I got there, all I saw were machines. But I did sense so organic beings, like humans—though they were asleep. I assud that the AI of that world believed the best way to protect humanity was to put them into eternal slumber and create a fake reality.)
Asher exhaled sharply. "A false paradise…"
(Essentially, yes,)
(No war, no suffering, no conflict. Just an endless dream, controlled and maintained by the AI. To it, that was the perfect solution.) Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire
Asher crossed his arms, gaze darkening. "And the people trapped inside?"
(Completely unaware. To them, it was reality. And even if they sohow realized the truth, would they really want to live in a world made entirely of tals)
"That's a really scary way to live...So, what did you do after that?"
(It tried to fight , and swarms of flying snake-like robots ca at from all directions. It was an endless wave and probably one of my hardest battles. In the end, though, I was forced to completely destroy that world—because if even a single piece remained, it could start anew.)
Asher's fingers twitched. "Everything?"
(Everything.)
A slow breath escaped him as he stared at the city below. The lights stretched for miles, pulsing with life.
"Yeah, well," he muttered, "that's not an option for ."
(Then your path will be harder.)
"Don't you have any spell I can use to at least contain it?"
(Contain it? No. Deuz is not a physical entity—. You cannot bind it like a living thing. )
Asher nodded. He half-expected that answer.
The other option he could think of was creating a computer virus—or even an AI of his own—but that was easier said than done.
He lacked any background in programming, hacking, or anything remotely related to digital warfare. And half-assing it wouldn't cut it.
Deuz wasn't just so rogue algorithm; it was a top of the line program.
A single mistake, a miscalculation, and it could turn the tables on him before he even realized it.
So the best course of action now was to figure out where the supercomputer was located and how many other systems it was connected to in different locations.
With that in mind, he moved inside the building.
His spells kept him completely invisible—undetectable by caras, sensors, and even the most advanced surveillance.
Guards patrolled the periter. A high-tech combat suit encased their bodies, sleek and armored, designed for both protection and mobility.
Dark, matte plating covered thee chest and shoulders, reinforced with modular attachnts and utility pouches.
Arms were wrapped in a layered exoskeletal sh, reinforced with tactical gauntlets .
He tracked the guards movents, waiting for the right mont before slipping past unnoticed.
Silent and swift, he made his way down the stairwell, bypassing security asures with ease.
Reaching the a lower floor, he scanned the area.
Offices lined the hall, their glass panels revealing employees buried in their work.
Most were low-level staff—analysts, technicians, and security operators—none of them useful for what he needed.
But that was okay because he ca here for a different reason.
Fortunately, he didn't need to waste ti searching. He already knew his target—Gilbert, the Overseer.
Back on the helicopter. Asher subtly placed a rune on the old man's body. A tracker .
Simple. Untraceable. Permanent.
Now, all he had to do was follow it.
He took the stairs instead of the elevator—too many risks.
Near the end of the corridor, Asher spotted his target.
Bingo.
Gilbert was casually chatting with the other employees.
Nothing important—just the usual small talk, the kind of conversation ant to fill the silence rather than convey anything aningful.
The conversation shifted, and he listened intently.
They spoke about the recent incident—his own rampage.
The death of an S-rank hunter, the defeat of multiple others.
It was still a hot topic, their voices carrying a mix of worry, and speculation.
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